


For the honour of a lady

by Mary_the_gardener



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: 17th Century, Alternate Universe - Historical, M/M, Not A Happy Ending, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:41:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24286018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_the_gardener/pseuds/Mary_the_gardener
Summary: On a lovely spring day at the end of the month of March of the year 1628, two gentlemen and a lady were leisurely strolling down the harbour of the city of Nice, enjoying each other's company.
Relationships: Javier Fernández/Alex Shibutani
Comments: 12
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [emilia_kaisa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/gifts).



> Two nights ago I had this wild idea, so here's the first part of this work. I will try and get the second chapter out in a couple of days.  
> I have made a little bit of research on what was going on at the time, but I am no expert so please bear with the possible inaccuracies.  
> If you want to have a better idea of the movements of the characters [ here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plan-Nice-1624.jpg) you can find a map of Nice in 1624.

On a lovely spring day at the end of the month of March of the year 1628, two gentlemen and a lady were leisurely strolling down the harbour of the city of Nice, enjoying each other's company.

"My beloved - was saying the one of the two gentlemen who had his head adorned by delicate gold curls and was wearing a blouse dyed with hues of pink - if you were to ask for a token of my love, you know that you would get it, regardless of the character of your demands."

"Fear not sir, - answered the lady, who was likewise wearing pink, with splendid pearls adorning the seams of her corset - for I cherish your company too much. The mere idea of pushing you to actions that would endanger your person is inconceivable to me." Reassured her, curtseying to him.

The third element of the group simply listened to them, his lips spreading out in an amused smile at the light banter that his sister was keeping on with their friend. He was a Japanese merchant of rice, an order that at the time was growing more and more rare every year, and for this last expedition he had caved in to the pressing pleads of his little sister and brought her with him.

Their father, being a merchant too, had used to bring home all kind of western tools and had thus gotten them to be familiar with the foreign customs; but in the recent years the shogun had started to show an increasing diffidence toward foreigners, slowly severing Japan's connections with the other countries.

It had been the awareness of this trend, that had brought his sister, Maia, freshly turned eighteen, to request that his brother were to bring her out with him on his latest endeavour, knowing that it could very well be her last occasion to fulfil her dream of travelling around the world.

It was also on the wave of this isolationist current that all the Spanish citizens had been expelled from her country four years before or so, thus depriving her and her brother of the company of one of their dearest friends, a young Spanish man that had been residing in their town for a few years due to his father's duties as Spain's ambassador. To this young man, who was the same age as her brother, they had been introduced by their father, and they had both grown extremely fond of him in a surprisingly short time. The three had been the most attached to each other, and the most inconsolable of people when the new laws had forced them to part, and Maia would tell anyone that hers and Alex's days in the last four years had been extremely dull.

Since touching her delicate feet down on french soil however, Fate had been extremely kind to them, so much as to wave their paths back together. And what joy had the reunion brought! She would go as far as to say that never she had seen a brighter smile on his brother's face than when he had spotted their long lost friend at a table of their inn. The enthusiasm of having met again was so great, and the time spent apart so long, that his brother had declared that they should spend in Nice one more week than originally planned, for any shorter period could not be nearly enough to go to the heart of all the things they had to tell each other.

  
As for the man they were now walking with, he was an English gentleman Alex - and his father before him - had made some affairs with over the course of the years, and hence Alex was quite well acquainted with him, while Maia, despite having met him for the first time there in Nice, had heard sufficient anecdotes, reported to her both by her father and brother during her teenage years, as to set her quickly at ease with him, and, to Alex's amusement, only a few minutes into their acquaintance the two had started this funny kind of courtship that was filling up the conversation even at the moment.

As long as it remained between the three of them, Alex didn't mind it, for he knew it was just an innocent play for Mr Rippon - such was the name of the golden-haired man - since the Englishman had once confessed to him that his love-life interests happened to lay in a quite different direction, so to speak; and, having he himself told her, he was quite assured that Maia was aware of this and perfectly out of any danger of having her heart broken.

"What Maia means to say, my dear friend - Interjected their conversation Alex - is that, were she to ask from you deeds that could endanger your person, she would consequently damage her own family business, given how the two of us are in business together."

"Oh Alex, don't say such nonsense!" Cried out Maia with fake outrage, "I mean exactly what I said and nothing more, and Mr Rippon here ought to know that I would let our family business go awry if I only thought it stood on the way of our happiness!"

They were now making their way back into the city walls and, stopping at the side of the marina gate, Mr Rippon let Maia go first and bowed. "You possess the kindest heart I have met in my twenty-three years on this world, milady, - He replied - and I can grant you that this quality of yours makes my love for your person much more seizing than the beauty of your dark and shiny eyes, albeit me having to admit that they are of the most captivating kind."

While Mr Rippon praised the girl so, they had made their way on the other side of the gate and were just about to turn in the direction of the western side of the city walls, when a dark-haired man wearing a light purple vest over a grey shirt, coming from the opposite direction, run into them.

"Adam, my friend! What a pleasure to meet you on this fine day!" The newcomer exclaimed. Then, promptly turning to the lady of the group, he bowed "And what an honour it is to be introduced to such a fair lady." He added with a mellifluous voice, taking Maia's hand into his and dropping a wet kiss on its back.

Driven by his politeness, Mr Rippon was left with no other option than to introduce the man: "Sir, milady, let me introduce to you Mr Righini, he helps me with my trades along the Italian peninsula. Ivan, these are the Shibutani siblings, from Japan." he said, swallowing down his unwillingness to make the two respectable siblings acquainted with such a man. He did not like Mr Righini in the least, with his put-on manners and his cunning ways to con people, but, as luck would have it, Mr Rippon had found out about these habits way too late, and the fate of his trades now laid in the hands of the gipsy man.

"May I have the pleasure of walking down to the river by your side, milady" Imposed himself the Italian, addressing Maia with a saccharine voice "I believe we are heading in the same direction."

"Indeed sir, we were just now making our way toward the Gate of the Bridge" Accepted Alex in place of Maia, with a cold but polite tone.

Alas, Mr Righini didn't pick up the icy lining in this answer, or if he did, he turned a deaf ear to it, and with a pretence of gallantry offered his arm to Maia, thus forcing the young lady to walk down the road by his side. "I must admit, milady - Started he then, with the casually and inconsiderately loud tones typical of his compatriots, - that I do find myself in total agreement with Mr Rippon's opinion of your eyes: they are indeed among the most beautiful I have ever seen."

Maia's cheeks flushed at the compliment. "Oh, you are too generous, sir, I merely have common brown eyes." She replied, turning her head down onto her chest in embarrassment.

"On the contrary, milady, I am not nearly saying enough - Insisted Mr Righini, oblivious to her discomfort - with your words you do belittle the qualities of your extraordinarily charming eyes, for they are dark brown indeed, but of the most valuable shade, precious as shiny black onyx, and, believe me on my word, their reddish hues only add to the power of your beauty, for they latch with the cherry tints of your bewitching lips."

Mr Rippon was in the meanwhile conversing with Alex, but most of his words were lost to the ears of his companion, whose faculties were occupied with observing his sister and their surroundings at the same time. Alex was exceedingly fond of Maia, and he doted on her to the extreme that he could call himself the first of her admirers. He himself did not consider this affection as improper, for he was not jealous of those courting his sister, but he deemed his duty to protect her and her honour, and even more so now that their father had passed.

This sense of responsibility was what made him now observe with a worried eye the situation unfolding in front of them: they were passing by the Building of the Pescaria - the fish-market - which was at that hour of the day filled with the liveliness typical of such places of trade, and at the same time the Italian kept wooing his sister with such vulgar phrases and such resonating tones that all the market could very well listen to his courtship.

Had there been only sailor-men and domestics Alex could have let it go, even if he knew that from the mouth of a maid to the ear of her mistress the route was brief, but Nice's fishmonger was populated with characters from the most various steps of society: not only it included sailor-men, maids and inn-owners but also various kind of merchants and business men, mistresses walking out with their maids to be sure of their purchases and ladies just taking a walk to relieve themselves from their boredom.

In such a situation Alex could not allow for the Italian trader to discredit his sister's reputation so carelessly!

"Pardon me, sir - He said then, interrupting the latest argument of Mr Righini in support of the charms of Maia's freckles - but, for as much as I dislike saying so, I see it necessary for me to interrupt yours and my dear sister's conversation and plead to you to be more considerate of our milieu."

"What milieu sir, - answered Mr Righini with a hint of contempt in his voice - I see nothing wrong with our surroundings: it is merely the everyday life along the walls of this lively city; and I hope to not find myself wrong in assuming that you can't possibly be doubting the honesty of my intentions. Your sister is a lady of the most refined charms and I did nothing more than to state truths that are already out for the whole world to see."

"I would never permit myself to doubt the honesty of your intentions, sir, - replied Alex, trying to suppress in his voice those notes that would have given out the vexation caused in him by the ignorance the Italian feigned - what I would like to debate, if you allow me, sir, is the effects of your words. For you may harbour the purest of intentions, but I fear that in your candour you may be blind to the effective harm that your speeches can bring when declaimed in such an out-door environment."

"Are you implying that am an inconsiderate kind of fellow? Exclaimed Mr Righini.

"I would never, sir." Tried to placate Alex.

"Then you must be getting your tongue tied in your own pompous sentences, for that is the bare meaning of your statement. Don't confide in making me a fool, for I know a mockery when I hear one, whether it be plain or coated in politeness." Hissed Mr Righini, placing his hand on the sheath of his sword.

"It never was in my intentions, sir, to make a fool out of anyone - answered Alex, to whom hadn't gone unnoticed the subtle movement of his opponent's hand - but maybe it has been in yours, given how you've been playing with my sister's dignity!"

"Ah! At last you admit it! - cried out Mr Righini - You're casting shadows on my honesty of gentleman. As it comes down to this, I see myself obliged to challenge you to face me and my blade!"

"I am no more than a merchant, and I do not like a fight unless I'm forced to, but this threatens the name of my beloved sister, and I shall defend it with my flash and with my iron!" Accepted Alex.

"Let us walk to the river bank then, - Declared Mr. Righini - that no one shall interrupt our argument."

"Mr Rippon, I put my sister into you care." Said Alex, addressing the English-man. And, with a nod to each other, the two gentlemen were about to make their way to Saint Allodio Gate, when, coming out from around the corner of S. Domenico three figures appeared in front of them.  
"Mr Righini! - Exclaimed one of them - what a pleasure to find you here!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo!  
> What? I said this would be up in a couple of days? Naaah, you must be imagining things! ;)
> 
> Anywayy, sorry for the delay, but here's the second chapter, and yes, since I'm a disaster there's going to be one more chapter, although probably shorter than the first two.
> 
> Enjoy!!

The one who had just interrupted them, a gentleman with dark brown curls and tanned skin wearing a cream white loose shirt, was the very same Spanish man of which we have already briefly talked. "I think you are already acquainted with one of my friends here" He continued, gesturing to the man that was standing to his left; then, in a rapid, whispered way, he added to him: "Introduce Michal for me, I need to have a word with Alex."  
  
The man that he had so addressed had dirty blond hair and wore a white shirt tinted with blue hues and tied with a sash low on his waist, with bits of tissue fluttering loose in an exotic way. "Indeed you are not mistaken - Started he stepping forward - but let me have the pleasure of introducing to you gentlemen, and to you my lady, our dear friend Mr Brezina."  
  
As he was making his speech and as Mr Brezina, an elegant gentleman sporting a very refined black waistcoat adorned with engravings of gold around its clasps, was greeting the lady and the two other gentlemen, Javier - that was the name of our man - had taken Alex by the side and was now interrogating him on the current situation. "Have you lost your brain!? - Whispered him after having ascertained that Alex and Mr Righini were indeed to be engaged in a duel - Don't you know who that man is!?"

"For a fact, I do know he is a gentleman in business with Mr Rippon - Replied Alex, still keeping his voice low - Is there more to it?"

"He is a man of deceit! - Exclaimed Javier in hushed tones - both in trade as in matters of honour like this one; you can not trust him, for he won't recoil from using unfair tricks to win you over. My friend, I beg you from the depths of my heart to call this duel off."

"You know I can not do such a thing! - replied Alex, barely containing his indignation at what his friend was suggesting - If it only concerned me I would have let his mouth run unpunished, but his behaviours were staining Maia's name, and I can't condone such a deed." Then, raising his voice for all the others to hear, he said: "Mr Fernandez, my friend, would you do me the favour of being my second in this matter?

For a moment no one said a word, then Mr Righini broke the silence: "If this is the case, I shall need to have a second too, - he said, grinning widely - Adam, my friend, I am sure you will accept this task."

Mr Rippon stuttered, his eyes getting almost as wide as the ones of Javier a moment before, a few mumbled words tangling themselves on the tip of his tongue, but the cold and meaningful glare Mr Righini gave him was enough to send them back down his throat. "It will be my pleasure." He eventually answered, swallowing his complaints down.

"But, gentlemen, - interrupted Javier suddenly - I did not commit to this responsibility yet."

Everybody fixed their eyes on the Spanish man: Mr Righini with annoyance, Mr Rippon with a spark of hope in his eyes, and the rest of them with astonishment.

After a tense pause Javier continued: "I would like to decline my friend's request, and, in place of it, I hereby call Mr Righini to cross his sword with mine instead."

At these simple words, a cacophony of voices rose from the group, most of which arguing with the one who had pronounced them. At first Alex turned to Javier and tried to protest with him in hushed words, but the blond with the exotic shirt didn't gave him the time, for he more loudly expressed his objections to their friend's proposition; Mr Righini, seeing as both the gentlemen refused to give up their right to duel with him, saw it necessary to make his voice heard, and between all this Miss Maia cried out trying to convince them all to stop, saying that she did not want such a brutal thing to happen in her name.  
  
"Gentlemen, gentlemen! - A new voice suddenly was heard in the midst of this row - let your tongues rest, what's happening here? Ivan, my mate, what is this rucksack, what set your spirit so aflame?"

The newcomer was a dignified looking man wearing a sage-coloured vest over a light green shirt and with him was another gentleman in a white shirt much alike our Javier but with black embroidery and wearing black suede gloves that reached up to half of his forearms. "Kevin, Florent! My friends, I beg your forgiveness for having let myself be fund in such a chaotic situation - welcomed them Mr Righini, looking somewhat relived by seeing some friendly faces – but, you see, I got myself in a very tangled situation."

Mr Righni then proceeded to explain how he had been introduced to the respectable brothers by his friend Mr Rippon, how he had had to challenge Mr Shibutani, for the gentleman was accusing him of having purposefully tainted his sister's name, how then Mr Fernandez had refused to be the second and was now exacting to be he himself the one to fight Mr Righini, and how both Mr Voronov, Mr Brezina, and Mr Shibutani himself were not willing to let that happen. "So you can see - concluded Mr Righini - how I got myself four opponents when I was only being courteous to a lady."

"That is an unpleasant situation indeed - agreed the man in black gloves, the one that Mr Righini had addressed by the name of Florent - but let me offer you a suitable solution."

"Come then, I will listen, Mr Amodio" Interjected Javier, still eager to keep his friend away from the dangerous rapier of Mr Righini.

“Listen then, Mr Fernandez. – replied Mr Amodio with a hint of annoyance in his voice - Allow me, all of you, to bring to your attention the evenness of our numbers. For my friend Ivan here just pointed out that he is facing four enemies, but what he didn't see is that he also has three friends here. And three and one makes four."

At this conclusion Mr Rippon shifted his feet on the ground with discomfort. Oh, how he wished he could just let those feet walk him out of this muddle! But alas, he could not forget Mr Righini’s piercing gaze and unforgiving temper, and more than anything he could not allow himself to forget how the Italian was holding his fate in his very hands. So his feet he shifted, to and fro, keeping his position while the others agreed to the idea.

"Your observation is true indeed, sir - Was saying Javier - it will allow to solve our little inside disagreement - he added, addressing his friend Alex - for this way you cannot oppose my confronting Mr Righini, since you can do your part by engaging with sir Van der Perren, who is known for his ability with the sword, and as such will make a deign opponent for you."

Javier voiced this suggestion with a certain satisfaction, for it had taken him but a second to understand what the French man had been suggesting, and while Mr Amodio was finishing his speech Javier had made his brain run, devising a plan. And the plan he had come out with was of making his friend spar with the Flemish gentleman, for he was an old acquaintance of his: a fine swordsman of incredible dexterity, but who, at 30, was not as much in the bloom of his years as the rest of them, and Javier was sure that Alex, with his fast feet and agile, strong arm, would have no issues in being his equal, if not even his superior.

"Be it so then - agreed Alex, to much of Javier relief - if you will do me the pleasure of crossing your iron with me, I will consider myself honoured, sir."

"On the contrary, - responded the man in green, bowing - the honour will be mine, for it is indeed a privilege to duel with such a respectable gentleman."

"Well, then, if the four of you are settled - intervened Michal - I hope Mr Rippon will accept me as his opponent, for we do have an history of disagreements and it would be too bad to let such an occasion as this slide, when we could instead use it to settle our arguments once and for all."

These were the words pronounced by the man in the black waistcoat, but they were not wholly adherent to the truth, for the two men had an history indeed, but not necessarily of disagreements.

The two were well acquainted, that was true, for they had happened to be on board of the same vessel just a few months before. The ship had started its journey from the middle coast of the dark continent and had brought them to the harbour of Lisbon, and on it our two gentlemen had had the pleasure of sharing each other’s company, the two of them being the only one of their extraction, and together they had bonded over the shared worry for the safety of the journey, a pretty worrisome tempest having taken hold of the vessel just around Cape Blanc . It had been on such occasion that Mr Rippon, driven by his worries for his cargo, had confided to Mr Brezina the dreadful state of his affairs and how he had ended up tangled with the cunning Mr Righini.

Aware of being the only gentleman in possession of such information, crucial to determine the behaviour of Mr Rippon, Michal had though well of securing the Englishman’s sword for himself, for he could effortlessly read the discomfort in his stance, and had easily guessed how much the other must have been in discomfort. Hence, by making him his opponent, he was now making sure of his fate, for only appointing himself as Mr Rippon's challenger, he could be sure of keeping him out of danger and at the same time avoid raising suspicions in the Italian's eyes.

"If this is agreeable with Mr Amodio, - answered Mr Rippon, trying to hide his relief from the eyes of the others, it will be my pleasure to accept your challenge, sir."  
"Do not worry, Adam, for Sergei and me are not strangers either. – Accepted the man in question - In truth, it will be quite as convenient for us at it will be for the two of you.

This was what the Frenchmen said, but his words had much less depth than the ones of Mr Brezina, for he only meant what he had stated. In fact, he did not suspect in the least of Michal's second intentions and only planned on giving a good lesson to his Russian opponent, as he harboured for him a great distaste. Whether that sentiment was justified by facts or not, we will not dwell upon.

Let's just say that the man in question, Mr Sergei Voronov, as it's been uncovered his name was, knowing too well the temper of his opponent, and being incline to believe that a refusal of his would have quite enraged Mr Amodio, deemed it better not to refuse the challenge, lest someone else were to have to face the French man’d rage instead of him, and thus he only nodded in agreement.

"It's settled then, - concluded Mr Righini with eagerness - gentlemen, let's move to the river-bank then; we shall find enough space and privacy there."

"Wait, - interjected Alex - what is to be of my sister? She cannot come with us, but can't be left here alone either. It would be exceedingly improper!"

"Oh, do not worry, brother, - intervened Maia herself - for I just happened to see Lady Tuktamisheva's unmistakable green cloak outside the Pescaria, If you can spare a moment to walk me there, I shall ask her the liberty to keep her company for awhile"

"Well then, - said Alex - gentlemen, if you would please wait for me a moment, I shall go and pay my homages to Princess Tuktamisheva of Udmurtia, I won't be long.

"Do not worry sir - reassured him Mr Van der Perren with composure - we shall wait for you here. And now go."

"I thank you very much sir" Answered Alex with a bow. Maia curtesied to the company and then the two brothers made their way back to the fish market.  
  
True to his word, Alex promptly came back alone, and the eight of them made their way toward San't Allodio's Gate, which at the time led to the shoreline, just in the point where the river met the sea.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter!  
> Enjoy!

"Well then - started Mr Righini once they had made their way on the outer side of the wall - are we ready?"

The inquiry of the Italian received and unanimous positive answer, and at his cry of "On guard, gentlemen!" the two parties unsheathed their swords and each one rushed upon his designated opponent.

Each duel, however, had its own character, for, while the Frenchman moved with the ferocity of a tiger, his attack driven by rage, and his opponent responded with equal fervour, Mr Rippon and Mr Brezina were having but a sparring match, engaging in it just as much as was necessary to deceive Mr Righini's eyes. Meanwhile the one whose eyes they were so keen on misleading was fighting with a well different heart: the Italian was eager to defend his own name from the accuses that had been to him moved; moreover, his fervour had been stirred even further by the outrageous conduct that he considered his opponent guilty of for having dared to meddle in Mr Shibutani and his own's question, so he was putting all his art and his forces into his thrusts, constantly changing his guard and his ground, and with this putting Javier's skills to a strenuous test.

The two remaining men were not having an encounter as heated as the one just described, but not watered as the one between the English and the Boehmian men either: both were very good fencer, one for he had been raised with the education at the time bestowed on every first son born in a noble european family, the other thanks to the extravagant ideas of his father united with a natural grace and quickness in his movements, and were thus engaging in a duel worthy of the finer sword-men, the Flemish putting into it all his love for this art and all the mannerism that comes natural to a man of such noble origins, the Japanese employing in it his whole heart for he was fighting for the sake of his sister.

But let's move for a moment our eyes away from these eight gentlemen, and go back to the Pescaria were we've left our young lady.

As soon as Alex had left the two dames, the Russian princess had turned to look at her companion with inquisitive eyes, her dark gaze piercing and penetrating.

"Well, my friend, - interrogated she then, with her firm voice - what unpleasant business does your brother have, that it made him part with you?"

"Madame, - answered Maia, who dared not lie under such a sharp gaze - it is a matter of a sword-fight."

"A sword-fight! - Interjected Lady Tuktamisheva, surprised - And with whom, do tell!"

Thus solicited Miss Maia recounted how what had started as a simple duel had grown into an encounter of greater dimensions.

"And you, my friend, - exclaimed the princess after listening to Miss Maia - you have the firmness of spirit to stay here in the darkness when your brother and dear friend are in danger of their lives? Tell me not, my dear Maia, that your chest is now not oppressed with worry for the ones you hold dear, for I know you have the most tender heart!"

"I will not, Madame, - answered Miss Maia lowering her eyes to the ground - deny you that my very heart is now overflowing with distress. But, alas, there's nothing I can do!"

"Oh, do not despair, my dear! - Begged Princess Liza seeing her friend so troubled - For it is true that you cannot influence the outcome of this affair, but this does not mean that you have to stand here, wriggling our hands in worry while the events unravel. We do not have to stay in the dark!"

"We don’t? – Exclaimed Miss Maia, who could not understand what the Russian lady was planning - And how could we do?”

“Come with me, my friend! We are going to take some hair walking on the bastion!” Answered Lady Tuktamisheva with eagerness and confidence, the first given to her by her young age of sixteen, the latter by her powerful position.

“The bastion? – Asked Miss Maia with perplexity – But civilians can not access it!”

“My dear, - replied the princess starting to make her way toward that point where the city walls made a corner – you forget who you are walking in with.”

At that observation Miss Maia could not really make any objection, so she went trailing behind her with the other dames.

It took only for the Princess to show the guards the ring with her family emblem for them to let her pass along with her dames. So, unnoticed by any of the fighting men, two figures appeared on the top of the bastion, and set themselves to intently observe the events developing down below with great interest.

Under Lady Tuktamisheva and Miss Maia’s eyes Alex was making use of all his agility and natural fluidity of movements to respond to the superior technique of the Flemish man. Javier was keeping up with the warm attacks of his adversary, who just then, full of vehemence, sprang forward and, eluding the defences of the Spaniard, thrust his sword at his lower ribs. But Javier was fast on his feet and promptly jumped back, securing his body away from the dangerous tip of iron, and then attacking back of his own.  
  
As previously said, Adam and Michal were continuing into their dance, occasionally hitting each other, but without ever causing anything more serious than a scuff; while Sergei was parring with ease the violent attacks of his opponent and from time to time making an attack of his own. With extreme composure the Russian deviated the latest thrust of Mr Amodio, and then, with a swift movement of his arm, let his blade sink into the right shoulder of the French, hence putting him out of fight.

Sergei then took a look around the bank to assess how his friends were faring: Michal and Adam were sparring near the waterline, Javier was answering his opponent blow after blow and Alex was slowly pushing Mr Van Der Perren back, the reflexes of the Flemish man getting slower and his arm heavier due to the fatigue creeping on him. Eventually, Alex, with a heavy blow, sent the sword of his opponent flying high in the air and he then pointed the tip of his sword to the Flemish chest, at which the noble man proclaimed his surrender. Thus having fulfilled his task, Alex turned to look at his friends.  
  
Having noticed how his two companions had defeated their opponents and were now focused on the persistent fight between the Spaniard and the Italian, Michal quickly nodded to Adam and then moved his attack forward, forcing the Englishman to step back and fall into the water.  
  
In the meantime Javier, to the apprehension of his friends, had been gradually growing paler by the minute and, in addition to that, the blood coming out of the cut caused from that thrust to his ribs kept seeping into his white shirt, creating an ever growing stain.

Despite all of this, though, our man went on fighting stoutly: he kept his guard without ever losing ground and with his counterattacks maintained his opponent quite busy.

For a while Sergei and Alex stood, one on each side of the duellers, watching with concern. The two drenched men observed the scene while still sitting in the water, and even Princess Liza and Miss Maia started to have their hearts filled with dread, for despite watching from a distance, they too could perceive the red batch spreading on their friend’s shirt. Only Mr Van Der Perren and Mr Amodio were oblivious to this development, one busy tending to his friend’s wound, the other too distracted by his own pain.

When he noticed that the Spanish man’s guard was starting to falter, Alex decided that it was time to intervene, despite the fact that his friend had not shown any inclination to accept their help:

“To me, Mr Righini! - he shouted, moving to the side of his friend – It’s me that you challenged first, I’ll be the one to end this!”

“Don’t be so fast to talk!” Replied the Italian, turning to his new opponent. He was happy to face the man who first had insulted him, and determined to now make him pay for it.

But Alex, mindful of Javier’s admonishment and rested from the brief break he had had, put every care into concluding the affair shortly, and, taking advantage of his agility and of the fatigue of Mr Righini, with a few rapid motions forced him to the ground and disarmed him.

“You’re in my hands now, sir, - said Alex then, putting one foot on the rapier of his opponent and the tip on his own iron to his neck – and you would be bound to die, were it anyone else’s hands. But I will give you a chance: you can choose to die with dignity, slayed by my sword, or you can admit your wrongings, and make a formal apology to my sister.”

At these words Mr Righini, who was already feeling the weight of death looming on him, opened his eyes wide and hastened to scream: “I apologize, I apologize! I will go and prostrate myself in front of Milady!”

And Alex was about to remove his rapier, still pondering the sincerity of the words of the Italian when a sound by his side claimed his attention: it was Javier, who till now had refused Sergei’s aids postponing them for later, and who now dropped to the ground on one knee.

This time Alex didn’t think twice: he threw his iron to the ground and hastened to Javier’s side, Sergei already supporting his injured friend in his arms. As if prompted by a spring, Mr Righini jumped back up on his legs, and, screaming “I will go apologize, I will go and apologize to the lady!”, he cowardly run away back into the town.

“Javi! - Cried Alex, kneeling down over his friend – Javi, why did you choose this death!?”

“Do not worry for me, my dear.” Said Javier in a dying voice. And then he lost his senses.

Sergei, in vain, kept his hand pressed on the wound, and Alex doubled on the Spaniard, wrapping his arms around him. From up above, the desperate cries of Miss Maia pierced the sky, while Princess Liza and her ladies tried to keep down the desperate girl, who, gripped by desperation, was trying to climb over the parapet.  
“Help! A surgeon! – screamed in pain Alex – Someone call a surgeon!”

“It’s too late – murmured Sergei – It’s useless now.”

“Javier!” Cried then Alex, tears streaming down his face. And one last time Javier came back to his senses, his glassy eyes fixating in the ones of Alex, who was now holding him close in his arms, their foreheads almost touching.

“I love you.” Pronounced Javier with one feeble whisper, the last whiff of air leaving his lungs.


End file.
